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September 7, 2016

Years of hard work, divisive politics and, ultimately, the sweet taste of victory – this isn’t the Rio Olympics, it’s the California 2016 legislative session. California made history again when the Legislature passed SB 32 and AB 197 to extend our state’s ambitious climate goals; the Governor plans to sign them tomorrow. But our work’s not done until the Governor signs several other excellent bills.

Three of the bills on Governor Brown’s desk would strengthen California’s commitment to meeting our climate goals by investing in the low-income and disadvantaged communities who need it most.

AB 2722, SB 1000, and AB 1550 will support transportation and land use projects that create opportunities and improve quality of life for disadvantaged communities, low-income people, and those disproportionately impacted by climate pollution.

This is our chance to lead the world on climate protection, as well as climate justice. The world is watching.

Election season is heating up, and while we’ve heard more than enough about the presidential race, there are some very important state and regional measures on the ballot. From affordable homes to bus improvements and bike lanes, Bay Area voters will have an opportunity to make a real difference in November. Read TransForm’s election guide to see where we stand on fourteen measures that will impact transportation and affordability!

When BART breaks, the Bay Area waits. That’s why TransForm supports Measure RR, BART’s 2016 ballot measure to fund critical infrastructure, improve train capacity, and make everyone’s ride more comfortable and safe. We’ll be phone-banking in Oakland to get support for Measure RR, and we invite you to join us! You’ll get to hang out with awesome TransFormers and volunteers, enjoy a free dinner, and feel great knowing that you’re doing your part to make a better BART.

Mark your calendar for a night of inspiration and fun at our third annual LIVE Awards + Benefit on Wednesday, November 16. This year we are honored to be awarding Guillermo Mayer of Public Advocates and Kate White of the California State Transportation Agency for their Leadership, Innovation, Vision, and commitment to Equity (LIVE). Please save the date: November 16 at 6:30 in downtown San Francisco. We hope to see you there!

As the 2016 Legislative session comes to a close, unfortunately it’s not all victories. AB 2222 – the bill TransForm co-sponsored to provide California students with discounted transit passes – didn’t pass the Senate. But state senators heard nearly 300 times from TransForm supporters like you that we care about making it easy and affordable for our kids to get to school – thank you again for your support! TransForm will continue advocating at the local and state level for student passes. For more information on AB 2222 and the other bills we followed this year, visit our website (and stay tuned for our upcoming “2016 Legislative Year in Review”).

The latest round of investments from California’s climate program are funding amazing projects to not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also improve the mobility and quality of life for low-income communities across the state. Check out the latest projects, including this year’s Low Carbon Transit Operations Program investments in better public transportation service, by visitingClimateBenefitsCA.org and filtering projects by “2016”.

Last month, US Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx paid a special visit to San Leandro to celebrate the groundbreaking of East Bay Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). We at TransForm are especially excited after advocating for BRT in the East Bay for fourteen years! This BRT line will help more people along the International Boulevard corridor get moving quickly, affordably, and reliably without a car. But BRT’s not just about great public transportation - the project has also spurred investment in affordable homes and safer streets for walking and biking in the area.

Oakland residents: how do you get around? Do you want to see carshare and bikeshare in your neighborhood? Would carshare and bikeshare help you stay connected to work, school, and family?

TransForm’s upcoming Oakland Mobility (OakMob) 101events are part of our efforts to bring better transportation choices to low-income communities and neighborhoods that have been disconnected from good, safe public transportation. Join us on October 1 in East Oakland, or October 22 in West Oakland. Bring your friends and family for a day of food, prizes, music, and the opportunity to plan a more connected and equitable Oakland.

You can also share your feedback directly with Bay Area Bike Share at one of their upcoming workshops.

2015 was a busy – and awesome – year for TransForm, in no small part thanks to people like you who helped take our work to the next level! We’re excited to share all of this with you in our newly released 2015 Annual Report. In it you’ll find TransForm’s biggest wins for social equity, public transportation, affordable homes, and climate protection…and we’re keeping at it in 2016!

Last month the world celebrated International Youth Day. Here in Alameda County, we don’t have to look far to find youth doing amazing things. This is especially true thanks to our awesome Safe Routes to Schools Program, which helps kids from 1st to 12th grade make their commutes to school safer, fun, and more active. With projects like “Roll Model” baseball cards, and events like Walk and Roll to School Day (coming up on October 5), there is no shortage of ways for youth to get active and get inspired. As the school year starts up, visit our website for more information on all the ways you and your neighborhood school can get involved!

We are thrilled to welcome two new people to our TransForm family: Edie Irons and Nina Rizzo!Edie joins us as Communications Director and comes to TransForm with more than 12 years of experience in communications; she is also an avid gardener and cyclist. Nina is our new GreenTRIP Planner, with a background in social justice and organizing for the youth climate movement, and a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Mills College. Check out our staff pageto learn more about them!